Plastering gauge



April 30,1940. A. LANDAU PLASTERING GAUGE Filed May 2, 1938 Patented Apr. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in plastering gauges particularly for door and window openings,

Heretofore it has been the general practice to nail a strip of wood to the studding along the edge of the opening to form a support for the edge of the plaster, as it is placed on the laths or boards about such opening until the plaster has set or dried. This necessitates a waste of material and consumes a considerable amount of time in cutting and fitting such strips and nailing them in place and the material thereof cannot be salvaged for reuse. I

It has been proposed also to construct a gauge is of metal to fit the door or window openings, us-

ing a strip of metal along each of the edges of the opening with back-turned beads to strengthen the edges. This is objectionable because such beads have sharp edges that frequently cut the 30 hands of the workmen, and the strips must be constructed of a size that will just fit the desired opening, it being necessary to have strips of dif-' ferent sizes for different sized openings insuch prior constructions.

It is the object of this invention to improve the metallic plastering gauge by making it adjust-' able to accommodate openings of difierent sizes throughout a wide range of adjustment, while at the same time turning down the beads sub- :m stantially flat, so as to prevent injury to the hands of the workmen. The latter avoids the danger of cutting the hands of the workmen by sharp edges on the beads while the adjustability of theplastering gauge enables it to be used in openings of different sizes without the necessity for providing different sets of gauges for the respective openings.

In carrying out this object, a preferred em.- bodiment of the invention is set forth in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a doorway with the improved plastering gauge applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the gauge sides detached and extended;-and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through an edge of the doorway showing the manner of securing the gauge-thereto.

The invention is shown applied to a doorway having gauge strips extending about three sides so thereof, but it will be understood that it may be as readily applied to a window opening in which such gauge strips may be provided for four sides thereof.

Such anopening is'usually formed of studding and designated generally by the numeral I, and

lathing or wall board. 5'

In 'order to shape and smooth ofi the edge of the plaster about each edge of the opening, I have provided aplaster gauge formed of a plurality of ground strips, one for each edge of the opening that is to receive plaster, such as three 10;

edges of a door opening or four edges of a window opening.

I Each ground strip comprises a pair of sections 3 and 4 arranged'in telescoped relation for relative sliding movement lengthwise. strip has perforations 5 in the sections thereof adapted to receive nails 6, which pass through the perforations and through backing strips 1, usuallyof wood, that are arranged transversely of each ground strip and at intervals along the 0 length thereof.

The ground strips are secured to the studding by means of the nails 6 that are driven therethrough and into the studding, and these ground strips project laterally on opposite sides of the g5 studding I and of the laths 2, as shown in Fig. 3. The outer edges of these ground strips are turned back' upon themselves to form beads which reinforce and strengthen the lateral edges thereof holding them in proper positions for shapingthe m plaster.

The section 3 on each ground strip has heads 8 formed thereon by turning the edges in flat upon themselves, as shown in Fig. 3, while the edges of the section 4 are turned in to form beads 9, approximately parallel mm and slightly spaced from the surface of the section 4 to receive the section 3 and its beads 8 in telescoped relation, as shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 3. This permits lengthwise relative sliding movement of the sections of each ground strip and yet has the beaded edges turned in substantially smooth without danger of cutting or injuring the hands of a workman handling the ground strips.

In order to facilitate lengthwise sliding movement of the sections relative to each other, one or both of the sections has a hand-hold shown at Ill, formed at an end thereof, as by striking out or indenting the metal of the section, so as to enable the workman to grasp the same and slide it relative to the other section.

The ground strips have the sections thereof constructed of suflicient length for extension to the maximum normal length and width of the desired opening and for sliding movement for u Each ground 16- adjustment to smaller sized openings to extend about the edges thereof. These ground strips are preferably constructed of a suitable metal or other material of sufficient strength to support the edge of the plaster which abuts thereagainst. The backing strips I preferably are small strips of laths cut into short lengths or other waste strips which would otherwise be thrown away normally, but which may be used for this purpose and which will effectively hold the plastering gauge in place on the studding.

Each of the ground strips is extended or adjusted until it fits the length or width of the opening and then is secured in place by placing thereagainst the backing strips i and driving in the nails 6 through the backing strips and orifices 5 provided for the purpose. After the ground strips are thus applied about the respective edges of the opening that are to be plastered, the plaster may be applied to the laths up against the edges of the metal plates and these plates or ground strips remain in their positions on the studding until the plaster has set or hardened, after which they may be readily removed by withdrawing the nails and backing strips and then removing the ground strips. After having been used on a door or window opening, these ground strips may be removed and used over and over again on openings of the same or diiferent sizes.

The telescoped relation of the ground strip not only makes it adjustable as to length in order to fit any sized opening but this permits the collapsing of the strips for storing or shipment in compact arrangement. The bead along each edge of the ground strip stifiens it and forms a true straight edge which edges are also braced by the backing strips 1.

This forms a simple and effective plastering gauge around door and window openings. It may be easily and quickly nailed to the studding to form a support for the edges of the plaster. After the plaster has been set the gauge is removed and used over and over again. It is adjustable in length to fit door or window openings of different sizes.

I claim:

1. A plastering gauge adapted to be secured to the studding forming a door or opening comprising a flat ground strip of sufficient width to be secured to the face of the studding and to project laterally on opposite sides thereof, said ground strip having a plurality of sections connected together for relative lengthwise adjustment to accommodate the length of the side edge of the opening, and means for securing the ground strip to the studding.

2. A plastering gauge adapted to be secured to the studding forming a door or window opening comprising a metallic ground strip extending along an edge of the opening and adapted to project laterally on opposite sides of said opening toreceive the plaster thereagainst, the laterally projecting portions of said strip being approximately in the same lengthwise plane as the portion of said strip therebetween, and means for securing the ground strip to the studding, said ground strip being constructed of a plurality of sections connected together for relative lengthwise adjustment.

3. A plastering gauge adapted to be secured to the studding forming a door or window opening comprising a metallic ground strip extending along an edge of the opening and adapted to project laterally onopposite sides of said opening to receive the plaster thereagainst, the laterally projecting portions of said strip being approximately in the same lengthwise plane as the por tion of said strip therebetween, and means for securing the ground strip to the studding, said ground strip being constructed of a plurality of sections telescopically connected together for relative lengthwise adjustment to accommodate the length of the edge of the opening.

4. A plastering gauge adapted to be secured to the studding forming adoor or window opening comprising a metallic ground strip adapted to extend along an edge of said opening with a middle body portion abutting against the face of the studding and with edge portions on opposite sides thereof. projecting laterally of the studding approximately in the same lengthwise plane of the body portion and adapted to receive the plaster thereagainst, said ground strip being constructed of a plurality of sections relatively slidable upon each other for lengthwise adjustment.

5. A plastering gauge adapted to be secured to the studding forming a door or window opening comprising a metallic ground strip adapted to extend along an edge of said opening with a middle body portion abutting against the face of the studding and with edge portions on opposite sides thereof projecting laterally of the studding approximately in the same lengthwise plane of the body portion and adapted to receive the plaster thereagainst, said ground strip being constructed of a plurality of sections relatively slidable upon each other in face-to-face bearing engagement with interfitting inturned outer edges for lengthwise adjustment, and means for securing the ground strip to the studding.

6. A plastering gauge adapted to be secured to the studding forming a door or window opening comprising a metallic ground strip extending along an edge of the opening and adapted to project laterally on opposite sides of said opening to receive the plaster thereagainst, means for securing the ground strip to the studding, said ground strip comprising a plurality of sections, one section having the side edges thereof turned in substantially flat upon themselves and forming beads on said section, and the cooperating section having the side edges thereof turned in approximately in parallel relation with the body of the last-mentioned section receiving the beads of the first-mentioned section in telescopic relation for relative lengthwise adjustment of said sections.

'7. A plastering gauge'adapted to be secured to the studding forming a door or window opening comprising a metallic ground strip extending along an edge of the opening and adapted to project laterally on opposite sides of said opening to receive the plaster thereagainst, means for securing the ground strip to the studding, said groimd strip comprising a plurality of sections, one section having the side edges thereof turned in substantially flat upon themselves and forming beads on said section, the cooperating section having the side edges thereof turned in approximately in parallel relation with the body of the last-mentioned section receiving the beads of the first-mentioned section in telescopic relation for relative lengthwise adjustment of said sections, and a hand-hold on one of the sections adjacent an end thereof to facilitate relative lengthwise adjustment of the sections.

ABRAHAM LANDAU. 

